


Narcolepsy

by Esperata



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Doctor/Patient, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Narcolepsy, Telepathic aliens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-03-08
Packaged: 2019-03-28 20:16:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13911375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Esperata/pseuds/Esperata
Summary: Enterprise has picked up some unintentional hitchhikers who cause some unexpected problems for Spock.





	Narcolepsy

McCoy didn’t find out about it until the morning briefing which really ticked him off.

“Forgive me if I’m wrong,” he said in a tone verging on insubordinate, “but I thought it was procedure to report unanticipated alien incursions to the CMO to confirm non-malignancy?”

Spock glanced at him along the table.

“I am reporting it now, am I not?”

McCoy opened his mouth to retort but Kirk beat him to it.

“Bones, you can check Spock out later. Right now I’m more interested in what these beings wanted. And why they spoke to you in your sleep.”

“They wish to be transported back to their native planet where we inadvertently collected them,” Spock answered. “As to your second question, are you querying why they spoke to me or why they required a dormant mind?”

Jim smiled.

“Both.”

“The species do not appear to be naturally telepathic however they possess a psi rating similar to high level humans. It would ordinarily be impossible for them to be heard over the usual background noise except in particular circumstances.”

“Such as a telepathic mind relaxed and open to suggestion in sleep,” McCoy suggested.

“Indeed,” Spock agreed. “I was able to detect their unusual presence against the familiar backdrop.”

McCoy frowned.

“Familiar backdrop?” he queried.

The Vulcan looked momentarily awkward.

“As you noted, when sleeping my mind is especially vulnerable to stray thought projections.”

McCoy blinked rapidly and hoped to hell Spock had never picked up any of his stray thoughts when they’d been sequestered together on missions.

Spock apparently realised the doctor’s concerns because he added.

“Usually such thoughts are at best indistinct as most humans have no mental training to order their thoughts appropriately. That is why these creatures’ minds were so easy to detect. They were focused.”

“Well,” Kirk interrupted before McCoy could take any offence, “we should be able to detour back without losing any significant time if we increase to warp 7 for a time. I’ll give the order. Mister Spock? Perhaps you’ll communicate our apologies next time you take a nap?”

Spock nodded and opened his mouth to reply before simply collapsing.

It was lucky he was still seated because every muscle seemed to simultaneously give way to lethargy. As it was he slipped down the seat most ungracefully.

“What the hell?” Bones was up and across at once, reaching one arm around the Vulcan to prevent him sliding fully onto the floor and taking his pulse with the fingers of his other hand. He swiftly assessed the symptoms before looking up in surprise.

“He’s asleep Jim.”

Jim was stood by Spock’s other side watching in concern. Now he frowned.

“Asleep?” he queried.

It was at that moment that Spock came to.

His eyes opened and he pulled himself straight in his chair, glancing briefly at the doctor’s continued hold. McCoy let go but didn’t back off yet.

“What happened Spock?” McCoy asked.

“I didn’t mean you had to take a nap _now_ ,” Jim added.

“I did not choose to sleep,” Spock objected. “It appears the aliens may induce such a state when they wish to communicate. In fact they wished me to convey their thanks to you.”

Jim seemed slightly surprised.

“So they can hear us?”

“Naturally,” Spock said, fully back in control of himself.

“Oh well.” Jim glanced around the empty air. “My apologies for taking you out of your way,” he offered. “We’ll have you home soon though.”

He smiled and turned his attention back onto Spock.

“Let’s get up to the bridge and change course shall we?”

As Spock and Jim made to leave, a rather irritated doctor spoke up.

“Now wait one goddamn second. Spock is not free to resume bridge duty until I, or probably M’Benga, check he’s mentally sound after acting as a telepathic receiver.”

McCoy strode over so he could glare at both of them.

“And I don’t think it’s a good idea for him to be unsupervised if these aliens can switch him off any time they feel like a chat. I think you’d better stay in sickbay where I can keep an eye on you.”

“Doctor, I will hardly be unsupervised. I shall be serving on the bridge with a minimum of five other crew members.”

“And what about between shifts? Heading to and from the messhall? In your quarters? What if they send you off for a nap when you’re handling something dangerous? Or where you could fall? Or…”

“Bones!” Jim interrupted. “Your concern is duly noted. I agree that Spock should be checked before duty but I see no reason to confine him to sickbay.” He held up a hand to forestall the inevitable argument. “He’ll be watched on the bridge by someone at all times and I promise I’ll escort him myself to and from the messhall.”

McCoy didn’t appreciate the obvious humour in Jim’s eyes. He folded his arms with a sour expression.

“And his quarters? Who’s going to watch him there?”

“Doctor,” Spock spoke placatingly. “There is no reason to expect I shall suffer any injury following contact with these beings. Thus far they have chosen moments when I am reclining to induce a sleeping state.”

“Yeah, thus far,” McCoy echoed. “Two data points aren’t exactly conclusive.”

“Never-the-less,” Jim told him, “that’s what we’re basing our findings on and its good enough for me. Now, Mister Spock, report to M’Benga and then – as long as he deems you fit – I’ll see you on the bridge.”

Spock nodded curtly at the captain and left the room. Jim turned and found McCoy still glaring at him.

“It’ll be fine Bones.” He clapped his friend on the shoulder. “You’ll see.”

zZz

“What in hell happened?!”

Jim had just arrived in sickbay supporting a dizzy Vulcan with a gushing head wound.

McCoy helped the captain shift Spock onto a biobed despite protestations.

“It is a minor injury,” Spock assured him, swaying slightly as he tried to sit up. McCoy pressed a hand firmly on his shoulder to encourage him to stay put.

“I wasn’t asking you,” he snapped before fixing Jim with his irritated gaze. Jim squirmed.

“It wasn’t really anyone’s fault Bones,” he wheedled.

“What. Happened.” McCoy reiterated clearly.

“Spock had just stood up to pass me a report. Then the telepathic aliens made contact and he fell.”

McCoy visibly ground his teeth and turned his glare onto Spock.

“You’ll be perfectly fine huh? Surrounded by people to watch out for you? Aliens won’t knock you out when you’re at risk?”

“It is quite possible they began their contact while I was still seated,” Spock suggested. McCoy crossed his arms.

“Oh? And how likely is that? Does it seem to you they need time to grab your attention?”

Spock’s lips thinned to a line.

“I cannot say for sure.”

McCoy pointed a finger at him irritably.

“From now on you’re under constant medical surveillance.”

“That is not-” Spock began but was surprisingly interrupted by Jim.

“That’s an order Spock,” he announced. A look of guilt flashed in his eyes. “I should have listened to you earlier Bones.”

McCoy humphed and didn’t comment on that.

“It was not your fault Captain. I might have just as easily sustained such an injury during turbulence.”

Jim shook his head.

“But you didn’t. Bones was right. We had no way of predicting when or how these aliens would affect you. I shouldn’t have been so cavalier about it.”

“It will hardly be productive to confine me to sickbay for the duration of our journey Captain,” Spock protested. “Besides which the facilities are better reserved for those in genuine need of them.”

Jim turned back to McCoy, seemingly swinging between wanting to appease the doctor and conciliate his First Officer.

“What do you think Bones? Could you appoint someone to accompany Spock? At least until we return to the planet tomorrow?”

McCoy frowned. The honest answer was that he didn’t want to entrust Spock to anyone else’s care. Leaving him in sickbay was one thing, for a start McCoy had plenty of reasons to visit sickbay himself, but letting a nurse take care of him? Even though he knew all his nurses were perfectly well trained and he’d entrust anyone else on the ship to them in a heartbeat… just not the Vulcan.

But he could hardly tell Jim that.

A sudden idea occurred to him and he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, giving the impression of considering Jim’s request while he worked out a plan.

“Well,” he began slowly, “I did actually need Spock’s input on an experiment I was setting up. If he don’t mind helping me with that, I could keep an eye on him myself.” He offered as unconcerned a shrug as he could. “I think I could just about stand having dinner with him and sharing quarters for a night.”

“Excellent.” Jim grinned. “And I can take over in the morning. We’ll be on the same shift when we make our return to the planet anyway.”

“That’s fine then,” McCoy agreed before glancing to his patient. “If you have no objection?”

Spock pursed his lips.

“What experiment do you require my help with?” he finally offered.

McCoy grinned and gestured Spock to accompany him.

“It seems to me that, what with all the telepathic species we’re encountering out here, I need a method of comparing minds before and after contact to check for any residual impact. So ideally I need someone familiar with telepathic effects to help me determine appropriate standards to measure.”

McCoy glanced at his companion in time to catch the inevitable eyebrow rise.

“That would be logical.”

The doctor rolled his own eyes at the tone of surprise.

“I’m not a completely irrational human you know.”

“No,” Spock agreed. “Not completely.”

McCoy grit his teeth. It might be a longer evening than he’d anticipated.

zZz

In the event, the time passed reasonably pleasantly. The two got on well with programming a series of tests for crew personnel, with only minor disagreements over the importance of emotional enquiries.

Dinner was likewise almost agreeable with only their usual arguments. Jim joined them which meant any escalating tensions were quickly dissipated as he interjected his own points of view, pretty much guaranteeing that the discussions remained civilised as each presented argument and counter-argument for Jim to cast judgement on.

The dynamic changed when they had eventually retired to the doctor’s quarters and McCoy couldn’t help but feel awkward. Naturally, this translated into him assuming a more aggressive stance than normal.

“We can share the bed Spock!” he huffed in exasperation before fighting a blush and amending. “I mean we can take turns.”

“It is unnecessary. A meditative trance will be as beneficial to me as sleep.”

McCoy bit back his first response, to enquire if the Vulcan just didn’t trust him, and crossed his arms. When he’d accompanied Spock to fetch his things, including his meditation lamp, he hadn’t anticipated this argument.

But he’d be damned if he let a guest of his rest on the floor whether meditating or asleep.

“Now see here, I brought you here so I could monitor you. I can’t very well do that if you’re knelt on the floor all night and I’m asleep.”

Spock’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Did you not just suggest taking turns on the bed? Would that not involve you sleeping while I meditate?”

“I meant I’d sleep on the bed while you took a turn on the floor! I didn’t think I’d have to tie you up.” McCoy cursed his own run away mouth and his treacherous mind but didn’t back down. “Why’s it so difficult for you to understand you need to be careful in case these aliens knock you out again?”

“Meditating is hardly a strenuous activity Doctor.”

“You’d be sitting two feet from an open flame in a situation where you might lose consciousness. I’d classify that as dangerous.”

McCoy felt a sense of victory as Spock did not immediately respond to that argument. With the Vulcan, even tripping him up momentarily was a victory.

“I shall place my lamp upon the table,” Spock finally countered.

“Oh for the love of-” McCoy stopped suddenly as he registered a sudden relaxation come over Spock. Like all the tension just melting away from his body.

The doctor was in motion even before Spock’s eyelids had fallen shut.

He wrapped his arms round the Vulcan’s body and guided his momentum back and sideways so Spock came to rest comfortably on the bed with just his calves hanging off the edge.

One arm was trapped under the denser weight of Spock but McCoy paid it no mind as he anxiously surveyed his friend to make sure the symptoms were no worse than sleep. He placed his free hand over the Vulcan’s heart and quietly counted its steady beat. His worried gaze noted the rapid movement of Spock’s eyes and he realised the aliens were causing what in a human might be considered dreams.

Did Spock ever dream normally? And if he did, were they akin to human dreams? McCoy was pretty sure that Spock’s dreams would bear no relation to his own. He huffed as he realised how closely their current predicament mirrored some of the scenarios from his own dreams and then drew his attention back to checking Spock’s vital signs.

Spock’s heart rate was normal, his breathing regular, both his colour and temperature seemed unchanged… McCoy had to conclude that he really was simply deeply asleep.

Or not so deeply.

Dark eyes snapped open and fixed on his face which, McCoy realised suddenly, was a tad too close. Though damned if he’d admit to any embarrassment about their position.

“You alright?” he asked.

“I am uninjured,” Spock replied cautiously, still studying McCoy’s face rather intently.

“You landed on my arm,” the doctor explained uncomfortably. “I’ll move if you-”

“I do not wish you to move.” The interruption startled McCoy as much as the statement.

“You don’t?”

“While the aliens were communing with me,” Spock explained, “they inadvertently created a bridge between us. Due to your proximity I believe.”

“Oh?” McCoy wondered what Spock was getting at for a split second before his horrified mind flagged up every thought that might have passed through his head that he wouldn’t want Spock to know. Instinctively he tried to pull away only to remain trapped by the rather insistent weight on his arm.

“Leonard. You do not need to hide from me.”

McCoy could do nothing other than meet Spock’s gaze head on. Well, he could have rolled himself off the bed and used his own weight and momentum to free his arm but he was holding that option in reserve.

“What did you see?” he asked cautiously.

“I saw your deep concern for my welfare. I saw how my own seemingly careless attitude upsets you. I saw how much you wish to cherish me…”

McCoy instinctively twisted in order to escape the unlooked for revelation only to find a firm hand gripping his arm and holding him place. He grit his teeth in frustration as he realised he couldn’t escape his unwilling admission.

“I would not be adverse,” Spock offered softly.

“Yes, I’m sure the idea of being doted on appeals, even to an emotionless Vulcan like you,” he snapped vindictively, feeling exposed and vulnerable. “Having a weak, emotional human catering to your every whim-”

A pair of lips landing delicately on his burning cheek stopped McCoy in his tracks and he turned his face back to stare at Spock.

“I would expect the esteem to work both ways. It would honour and… please me to cherish you in a likewise manner.”

McCoy had to swallow suddenly at the enormity of what Spock was saying.

“Do you know what you’re offering?” he asked. “I’m not thinking about some half-hearted relationship here. I’d be looking for the whole kit-kaboodle.”

In answer Spock’s hand moved determinedly down McCoy’s body to land possessively on his ass.

“I assure you Vulcans do not indulge in casual affairs.”

McCoy stared intently at Spock, wanting more than anything to dive down and capture those lips he’d been dreaming about for so long… to press himself a bit more closely and see if he could provoke an emotional reaction from the hybrid…

But…

“Let me up,” he instructed firmly.

Spock’s gaze was surprised as he blinked up at the human but he immediately released his hold and shifted to allow the doctor to retrieve his other arm.

McCoy sat himself up and briskly shook some life into the limb before settling himself back next to the Vulcan, one hand laying protectively over his stomach.

“Doctor?” Spock’s voice sounded genuinely confused and McCoy smiled.

“Spock,” he responded seriously. “You’re currently my patient. I will not indulge in any inappropriate behaviour while I am monitoring your wellbeing. Especially not when telepathic aliens may also be monitoring proceedings,” he added.

“Ah.” Spock managed to convey a great deal of understanding into that one sound. “Then we may… indulge tomorrow?” he enquired.

“I expect so.” McCoy tried not to sound like he was bubbling with glee at the thought and suspected he wasn’t entirely successful. And, as Spock shifted himself so he was lying more comfortably on the bed beside him, he couldn’t really bring himself to care.


End file.
